Anti-dandruff products are well known and commonly available in the consumer market. Many of these products come in the form of shampoos or hair tonics which contain anti-dandruff ingredients such as zinc pyrithione, triclosan, triclorocarbanalide, dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, monoammonium glycyrrhizinate, allantoin, sulfur-containing materials, isopropylmethylphenol, salicylic acid, and similar other materials.
Anti-dandruff hair and scalp tonics are especially useful in that the consumer can use the anti-dandruff tonic for the desired anti-dandruff effect, but then also select a shampoo tailored to their type of hair care need rather than their need to control or treat dandruff. The net result is good hair cosmetics and control over the flaking and itching associated with dandruff hair. These anti-dandruff tonics are often aqueous liquids that an anti-dandruff active dissolved or dispersed in an aqueous carrier comprising water and up to 80% by weight of small chain alcohol carrier liquids.
Many of the anti-dandruff hair and scalp tonics, however, tend to cause the scalp to become excessively dry, thus countering to some extent the anti-dandruff effect of the anti-dandruff active in the tonic. These tonics often contain a high percentage of volatile carriers such as ethanol that provide the scalp with a cool feeling during and after application, but also tend to dry out the skin, especially after repeated use. These tonics also have the additional problem of contacting the hair during application, and in some cases having a negative impact on hair cosmetics as a result.
It has now been found that hair and scalp tonics containing anti-dandruff or other skin active agents, hereinafter referred to as scalp cosmetic compositions, can be formulated and applied to the scalp without causing the scalp to become excessively dry and without unduly affecting hair cosmetics. This is accomplished by formulating a leave-on composition comprising from about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of a moisturizing material, preferably a liquid humectant, from about 0.005% to about 20% by weight of an anti-dandruff or other skin active agent, and from about 40% to about 99% by weight of a volatile liquid, wherein the composition is substantially free of cleansing surfactants and is applied directly to the scalp.
It has also been found that the scalp cosmetic compositions of the present invention can be applied directly to the scalp to provide not only improved skin moisturization but also improved deposition of the skin active agent on the scalp. The composition is preferably applied directly to the scalp using an applicator or other delivery system having a plurality of openings through which the composition is applied directly to the scalp. This direct application of the composition to the scalp can be accomplished, especially using a suitable applicator or other delivery system, without unduly affecting hair cosmetics.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a composition and method for providing improved delivery of skin active agents to the scalp without unduly affecting hair cosmetics. It is a further object of the present invention to achieve such skin active delivery while also providing improved moisturization to the scalp, especially when the skin active agent is an anti-dandruff material. It is a further objective of the present invention to deliver all such compositions to the desired areas of the scalp by direct application of a leave-on formulation containing a volatile liquid, an anti-dandruff or other skin active agent, and a liquid humectant.